Getting to Nootka Island Lodge

Nootka Island is near Gold River, British Columbia, Canada. There are a couple of ways to get to there to begin your adventure.

By Car with Air Transport from Gold River, BC

By Special Charter & Commercial Airlines

By Car with Air Transport from Gold River, BC [via Air Nootka]:

$240 CDN per person - Round Trip

If you are planning on sightseeing before your trip or live in Canada, you can complete part of your trip here by car and then enjoy a short ride by float plane direct to the lodge. All transportation costs are separate from fishing package rates and booked direct with Air Nootka.

  1. From your current location, navigate to Horseshoe Bay (West Vancouver, BC) or Tsawwassen (South Vancouver, BC)
  2. Take the BC ferry to Nanaimo, BC on Vancouver Island, BC
  3. Take the Inland Island Highway #19 North to Campbell River
  4. From Campbell River, follow the signs to Gold River and head west on Highway #28 (Please note, there is no cell phone service past Campbell River)
  5. The 140 mile trip from Nanaimo to Gold River should take you about 3.5 hours and the scenery is spectacular!
  6. Turn into the village of Gold River (still Hwy #28) and continue to the very end of the road. Air Nootka is located on the left hand side of the road.
  7. Check-in time is 12:30pm local time and your flight direct to the lodge (via float plane) offers stunning views!

From Gold River
Contact Air Nootka
- (250) 283-2255

By Special Charter & Commercial Airlines:

We can help arrange floatplane charters from Vancouver, BC, as well as from other coastal cities. Another way of getting here is to fly commercially into Campbell River or Comox, BC and from there, we can help arrange ground transportation to Gold River, BC to catch the float plane (with Air Nootka) to the Lodge.

Please contact us for any transportation questions you might have regarding your options for getting to the lodge.

Shuttle Service from Airport
Do you need shuttle service from Campbell River Airport or Comox Airport? Please contact: Ambassador Transportation 250-339-5252 (LOCAL) or 1-877-339-5252 (OUT OF AREA).

Check-In Time
Please be at the seaplane dock at least 30 minutes prior to the scheduled departure time. Due to weather and routing, your aircraft may arrive 30 minutes prior to the scheduled departure or as late as 30 minutes after the scheduled departure time.

Baggage
Float planes have a 25 lbs per person limit on scheduled flights.  We recommend that baggage is limited to 25 lbs per person on charter flights exceeding four passengers.  This will allow for your limit of fish (up to a total of 400 lbs max) to be accommodated on your return flight.  We also recommend your gear to be packed in smaller sized soft-sided bags.  Due to the size of the baggage compartment in the aircraft, we do not allow fish boxes or coolers.  Insulated coolers and gel ice are available to transport your catch on the major airlines.

International Flights: For travelers flying to international destinations from Canada, please be prepared to clear customs, both upon entering Canada, and returning to the United States. Passports are required for air travel as of January 23, 2007 for all international passengers. For more information, please consult U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Canada Border Service Agency.